{"id":69900,"date":"2025-10-24T12:12:45","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T06:42:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=69900"},"modified":"2025-10-24T12:12:45","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T06:42:45","slug":"saranda-forests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/saranda-forests\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court Pushes Jharkhand to Notify Saranda Forests as Wildlife Sanctuary"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Saranda Forests Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court bench, led by the Chief Justice of India, has directed the Jharkhand government to formally notify a new wildlife sanctuary in Saranda, one of India\u2019s richest Sal Forest regions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The move highlights Saranda\u2019s ecological importance and its history of illegal mining, drawing national attention to the need for stronger biodiversity protection in this forested area spanning southwest Jharkhand and Odisha.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Background of the Case<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court\u2019s direction to the Jharkhand government stems from a plea seeking compliance with a July 2022 order of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/national-green-tribunal\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Green Tribunal (NGT)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which had asked the state to consider declaring Saranda Forest as a wildlife sanctuary.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The plea before the NGT called for the notification of an eco-sensitive zone in the Saranda\/Sasangada region of West Singhbhum district, Jharkhand.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>The 1968 \u201cGame Sanctuary\u201d Argument<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The petitioner claimed Saranda had been declared a \u201cgame sanctuary\u201d in 1968 under undivided Bihar.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wildlife-protection-act\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wildlife Protection Act, 1972<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such earlier declarations automatically become \u201cdeemed sanctuaries.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the NGT found no official records confirming this status but recognised Saranda as one of India\u2019s finest Sal forests and directed the Jharkhand government to re-examine its sanctuary potential.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Supreme Court Steps In<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After Jharkhand failed to act on the NGT\u2019s order, the case reached the Supreme Court.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A CJI-led Bench in November 2024 directed the state to expedite the process and, between November 2024 and September 2025, criticised delays and non-compliance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court even warned of contempt when officials tried to alter proposed boundaries to accommodate mining areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Saranda\u2019s Ecological Significance and the Impact of Mining<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Located in <\/span><b>West Singhbhum district<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Jharkhand, the Saranda Forest Division spans 856 sq km, of which 816 sq km is reserved forest and the rest protected forest.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The name Saranda means \u201c<\/span><b>seven hundred hills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d, reflecting the region\u2019s undulating terrain and dense Sal forests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has recognised Saranda as a <\/span><b>biological and ecological hotspot<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, historically known for its rich biodiversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Biodiversity and Wildlife Corridors<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saranda supports diverse wildlife, including elephants, four-horned antelope, and sloth bears.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also contains <\/span><b>three elephant corridors<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ensuring ecological connectivity with neighbouring forests across Jharkhand and Odisha.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although tigers have been sighted in the past, they have not established a resident population in recent years due to habitat fragmentation and human pressure.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Mining and Habitat Degradation<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The forest has suffered from intensive and illegal mining, particularly of <\/span><b>iron ore and manganese<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, leading to loss of wildlife density and habitat fragmentation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian Council of Forest Research and Education (ICFRE), in its Carrying <\/span><b>Capacity Study of the Saranda\u2013Chaibasa region<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">confirmed that mining had severely affected forest ecology and wildlife health<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Findings from Ecological Studies<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The WII\u2019s 2016 assessment revealed a <\/span><b>decline in butterfly, mammal, and bird populations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, showing a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">negative correlation between proximity to mines and species richness<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It recommended urgent protection measures, including the creation of a wildlife sanctuary, to curb further ecological degradation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Decline in Elephant Population<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saranda once hosted a thriving elephant population, but continued habitat loss has forced many herds to migrate to Chhattisgarh and Odisha.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the latest 2025 Elephant Estimation Report, <\/span><b>Jharkhand now has only 217 elephants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, distributed between two main clusters \u2014 Palamau and Singhbhum (which includes Saranda).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephant corridors to the south and east of Saranda are now under severe stress, further isolating herds and threatening their long-term survival.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Jharkhand\u2019s Position Before the Supreme Court<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jharkhand government has told the Supreme Court that while it supports the declaration of Saranda as a wildlife sanctuary, it also wants to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ensure that the rights of tribals and forest dwellers are fully protected<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The state emphasised that <\/span><b>Saranda falls under the Fifth Schedule<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the Constitution and is home <\/span><b>to Ho, Munda, and allied Adivasi communities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government argued that <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">declaring the area as a sanctuary could criminalise traditional livelihood activities<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, thereby violating the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Mining Significance of the Region<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Saranda region is crucial for India\u2019s mining industry, holding about <\/span><b>26% of the country\u2019s total iron ore reserves<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to an interlocutory application filed by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), active mines in and around Saranda currently produce <\/span><b>10\u201315 million tonnes of iron ore annually, roughly 5% of India\u2019s total output<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>History of Illegal Mining in Saranda<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The controversy over mining in Saranda is long-standing. Under the UPA government, the <\/span><b>Justice M. B. Shah Commission of Inquiry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> investigated illegal mining in Jharkhand, uncovering widespread violations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Commission reported illegal extraction of iron ore worth \u20b914,403 crore and manganese worth \u20b9138 crore, carried out in violation of mining and environmental laws.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Efforts Toward Sustainable Mining<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following the Shah Commission\u2019s recommendations, the Union Environment Ministry prepared a Sustainable Mining Plan for the Saranda region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The plan designated \u201c<\/span><b>go\u201d and \u201cno-go\u201d zones<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for iron ore mining, with an annual production cap of 64 million tonnes, adjustable based on environmental sustainability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This framework was meant to balance economic interests with ecological preservation, but Saranda continues to face challenges from mining pressure and habitat degradation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>The Balancing Act<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court\u2019s ongoing oversight now places Saranda at the intersection of conservation and development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Jharkhand stresses tribal rights and economic dependence on mining, the court\u2019s focus remains on biodiversity protection, ensuring that the sanctuary declaration proceeds without undermining constitutional and livelihood rights of local communities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/saranda-forests-sanctuary-supreme-court-10318867\/lite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IE<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> | <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hindustantimes.com\/india-news\/sc-grants-7-days-to-jharkhand-govt-for-notifying-saranda-forest-region-as-wildlife-sanctuary-101759930036649.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HT<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Supreme Court directs Jharkhand to declare Saranda Forests, rich in biodiversity and iron ore reserves, as a wildlife sanctuary to protect its fragile ecosystem.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":69941,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,3367,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-69900","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-saranda-forests","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69900","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69900"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69900\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69900"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69900"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69900"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}